24 Self-Care Practices for Mothers: Do It for Yourself. Do It For Your Daughter.

Posted on October 19, 2015

Our daughters (and sons) may be young, but they won’t be for long.

I’m amazed at what my daughter, at only two years old, soaks in daily. New words, new expressions, new connections. And there’s no one in the world she watches like she watches me.

The other night as I tucked her in, she was chattering away about bath time.

“Trenton take a bath WITH ME! Chase take a bath WITH ME!”

Pause.

“Mommy have her OWN bath.”

You got that right, little lady.

She watches me. What I eat, how I dress, the tone I use with her siblings, the tone I use with her father. She’s my mini-me, and I want nothing more than to be the woman she needs me to be.

That starts with taking care of me. So that someday, when it’s her turn to be the bleary-eyed mother of a newborn, the bone-tired mother of a toddler, the mentally-drained mother of a teenager—she’ll know how to find her center again.

Just like she saw me do a thousand times.

Over the last couple of years, we’ve noticed the word “self-care” popping up everywhere. Every time I encounter it, I think to myself, Self-care isn’t just a list of things to do; it’s a state of mind.

It’s a lens through which you get to see your home, your family, your life.

It stems from an effort to love yourself, to guard your thoughts with care, and to hold your self-worth above everything else.

Self-care isn’t just something you do; it’s the way you think. It’s a way of life.

But of course, life has its special way of throwing us off—derailing us. The 24 practices below are not just more things add to your to-do list. (Heaven knows, I know you have plenty on your plate.) They’re simple practices to help you realign yourself, when the going gets tough, with that lens of self-love you want to see the world through.

24 Self-Care Practices for Mothers

1. Light a candle; breathe it in deeply and deliberately.

2. Read a book, especially one you know fills up your soul, like a conversation with an old friend.

4. Climb into your child’s bed before the day even starts for a few minutes of cuddles. Do you know what even six seconds of physical touch can do for you?

5. Inhale deeply the moment you step outside your house. Notice how the morning air smells instead of rushing through it.

6. Create a touch point in your home or at work. A place where whenever you touch it you remind yourself to live in the moment. (Think: the door knob to your bedroom, the threshold of your front door.)

7. Take two minutes to reminisce, either with your kids or on your own, about a fond memory.

“Our dopamine output increases not only when we experience something pleasurable the first time, but again when we remember it… [By reminiscing] we and our children can enjoy more of what we already have.” Goldie Hawn, 10 Mindful Minutes

8. Write about what you’re grateful for in a journal.

9. Start a daily gratitude practice with your family by sharing at the dinner table one thing you were thankful for that day.

10. Take a hot shower or bath. (That’s right, baby girl. Mama has her OWN bath!) Make it more special by lighting a candle, using your favorite scents, or playing mellow music. #itsthelittlethings

12. Try a new make-up technique; it feels good to step outside of your usual routine.

13. Say a prayer before you turn the keys in the ignition. Pray anytime, obviously, but a friend once told me this particular moment is a natural one for her, and I agree. Maybe it will be for you too.

23. Schedule some daytime babysitting to do something you rarely do. Like getting a drink at Starbucks and people watching from the window or going to the nearest body of water (my pick is the ocean!) and sticking your feet in.

24. Take a walk, and spend a couple of minutes focusing on a single sensation, like the wind on your face or the way your foot connects with the ground.

I'm Erica, a mom of three and an unashamed self-help lover. I believe in living simply, seeing beauty in the everyday, and and helping women believe their best IS good enough. For regular reminders of what matters, I hope you'll keep coming back.

What a fantastic list of ideas! I’ve been trying to do better about taking care of myself lately, and I’m definitely going to implement some of these. I’ve found that having an intentional bedtime routine has worked wonders for my sleep quality. Turning off the screens, getting cozy with a good book while diffusing lavender oil… I’m getting sleepy just thinking about it 🙂

[…] conjured up an involuntary smile. Since then, I’ve seen my children find joy in a million tiny pleasures. A bucket to fill with sand, a diving board to leap from, a flower to pick on the way to […]

I love this post! People have been asking me recently what I do for myself. My answer is usually….”Sleep?” This list is so much better than that! I just discovered your blog and I’m excited to read more! I love the idea of “Let Why Lead!” This is also a philosophy that I use each day.

Meet Erica

Welcome to The Life On Purpose Movement, a place for women doing life with intention. I’m Erica, sunset chaser and mom of three. For regular reminders of the things that matter, I hope you'll keep coming back.

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